WHAT TO DO WITH INSPIRATION by Kim Briggs

My new adult thriller, AND THEN HE, went up for sale on Amazon on Thursday. PRESS ME To Buy AND THEN HE

It's exciting to watch my sales rise as more people buy my book. It'll be even better when they rate AND THEN HE and leave a comment. (OR worse, but let's be optimistic, shall we?)

I'm also hosting AND THEN HE Book Launch Happy Hour, and by the way, YOU, yep YOU, are invited and so are all your friends. PRESS ME FOR PARTY INFO ,

I'm ready to move on to the next project--I'm always thinking about the next project and the project after that, and so on, and so forth.

My creative process resembles something like this:

      

And 

1. INSPIRATION

An idea, a dream, a vision, or an image pops into my head. I might be talking to a friend, I might be at one of my kids events, I might be sleeping (that happens often), or I might be working on one or two other projects, when suddenly my eyes glaze over and I shift into a transcendent world of inspiration--sounds very corny but it's true.  

2. RECORDING THE INSPIRATION

Then, if I'm really organized, I jot down the idea in a journal. If I'm feeling especially ambitious and/or optimistic, I get out my laptop and start typing. More often than not, I grab the closest papery type substance (receipts don't work that well but envelopes do) and scrawl down some trigger notes. I might even use the voice memo function on my IPHONE--but I am VERY visual, so I gotta SEE it to believe it. 

3. ALLOW THE INSPIRATION TO TAKE FORM

After I've set the idea down on paper, I run with it. Seriously, I work out and mull it over and let it take shape while I try to keep in shape. Exercise makes me focus--I'm very energetic and exercise allows me to release some of my pent up energy and target exactly what type of story I want to tell. 

4. DON'T PUSH THE INSPIRATION

Seriously, you can jot down ideas and start writing, but you can't knockout a 40,000 to 70,000 word book with a few barely formed thoughts. Sometimes, it takes YEARS, yes years, before your initial inspiration takes shape. 

Ex. I have a post-apocalyptic story I've been adding to for well over a decade--I'm just waiting for the right form to take shape. I've tried to push and whittle something out of my notes, but it's just not ready yet.

On the other hand, I've had a story I've been dying to tell, but I couldn't figure out a unique way to share the story--some way that would make it stand out from the crowd. This past spring, during someone else's inspirational speech, lightning struck. My eyes glazed over--I barely remember the rest of the talk because I began churning inspiration round and round. I took notes and outlined and began to form a loose frame of a story. Then I put it back in the drawer. 

My post AND THEN HE plans included subbing a nonfiction picture book prepped and knocking out two young adult projects, but wouldn't you know it, during the craziness of the past two weeks, I found the form to the other story and the voice of the main character.

Now, I'm left with a dilemma--three solid young adult projects and only one me, but that's the best type of dilemma.

I'd love to hear what YOU do with your inspiration?

Write on,

Kim